90-year-old Man Dies After Being Pulled From House Fire

HAMPTON — A 90-year-old man died Sunday night after being pulled from a fire at his Hampton home.

Charles Burch died at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Hampton Fire Marshal Anne-Marie Loughran said Burch was burned over 70 percent of his body and suffered smoke inhalation.

Burch's 77-year-old wife, Georganna, was also rescued from the house. She is recovering and has been upgraded from critical condition to serious condition.

The couple's home on Merrimac Avenue went up in flames Sunday afternoon. Loughran said investigators think the fire might have been started by one of Burch's cigarettes or lighters.

The fire is the city's second deadly blaze this winter. Three people died last month in a huge fire at Colonial Village at Tradewinds, an apartment complex off Magruder Boulevard. The Dec. 4 fire killed two elementary school children and their great-grandmother. Eight others were hospitalized, and two dozen apartments were destroyed.

Investigators said the blaze was caused by candles used for lighting after the power had been turned off to the apartment earlier that day.